Toyota, Suzuki to produce electric vehicles for India market by 2020

Suzuki will produce EVs for the Indian market while Toyota willprovide technical support.

Global automobile majors Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation will join hands to produce electric vehicles (EVs) for the India market by 2020. On Friday, both Toyota and Suzuki said they have concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the “cooperative structure for introducing EVs in the Indian market around 2020”.

“The agreement stems from the two companies having concluded on February 6 this year an MOU on beginning considerations for business partnership, after which they began discussing, among other topics, the dissemination of vehicle electrification technologies in India,” a joint statement said.

“Additionally, Toyota and Suzuki intend to conduct a comprehensive study of activities for the widespread acceptance and popular use of EVs in India,” the statement said. “Such activities encompass the establishment of charging stations, human resources development that includes training for after-service technicians employed throughout sales networks, and systems for the appropriate treatment of end-of-life batteries.” ALSO READ: ISRO’s solar hybrid electric car completes successful test drive

“Suzuki has already announced that it intends to construct a lithium-ion battery plant on the grounds of its recently opened automobile plant in the Indian state of Gujarat,” the statement said. “As envisioned by the agreement, in addition to lithium-ion batteries, electric motors and other major components would be locally procured for the production of EVs in India, helping the Indian government fulfill its Make in India initiative, even in the field of EVs.”